Ask a designer: How to design to attract investors for scaleups? Written by: Ben Lyon

ANNIE

Design isn’t just about how things look, it’s about how effectively you communicate. For scaleups, especially in more traditional sectors, strong visual identity, smart brand strategy, and thoughtful content design are all essential for sending a clear message to your investors. 

These design elements work together to show investors you know who you are, where you’re going, and who you’re talking to. 

More ‘traditional’ industries often overlook the importance of design strategy from the beginning and fail to cut through the noise in the market as a result. 

The key is to use design to clarify, not complicate. That means refining your pitch materials, product interfaces, and brand identity so they all tell the same story, to the right people.

Jim

Motion graphics are your friend! They can help explain complex topics in a relatively short amount of time. (A great example is Austin Bauwen’s recent social explainers, which are less than 45s and are explaining topics like bluetooth and solar panels). 

It’s not just about clarity, it’s about stopping the scroll. 

Movement gets noticed. And if you’re not being noticed, you’re not getting funded!

SAM

We like to define design as the way we talk, the way we dress, and, most importantly, the way we think. Design can help you approach investors in a way that truly reflects what your scale-up company is, so everything lives under the same roof.

This gives your company not only a better look, but also a clear strategy, a distinct voice, and true coherence. Scale-up businesses can take this opportunity to shape their future and effectively communicate who they are.

MAT

It’s about thinking about design, and perhaps more crucially,  messaging to tell THEIR story. A unique story and USP should be delivered in a way that is engaging, authentic and clear.  

SAM

Definitely. We can learn a lot by observing other sectors. Their successes and their failures. 

As designers, we are always feeding our minds with ideas from every field, because we believe that our design does not exist in isolation; it will live and spread in a world full of design, companies, and industries. So we need to know the context and the surroundings.

JIM

Creativity is always admired in any sector. Finding obscure commonalities in two areas that don’t usually speak together is my favourite example of creativity. It’s a simple thing we enjoy, and also applies to taking inspiration from other sectors.

👉 Like this.

ANNIE

Definitely! So long as the business still communicates the right message to its audience, looking at other industries for inspiration can be a super effective way to stand out from competitors and create a disruptive, unexpected brand. At the end of the day, standing out is one of the most, if not the most important jobs of a great brand. 

MAT

Scaleups should draw inspiration from both success stories within their sectors but also try to find parallel successes in totally disparate sectors, this kind of thinking can open new directions and approaches within your sector. 

ANNIE

Don’t ostracise your audience. Brand loyalty should always be considered alongside the need to impress investors. When you refresh, keep a grip on the equity you’ve already earned.

JIM

Choosing branding based on preference rather than backed-up direction/strategy. 

Listen to your creative partners around you, don’t skip on strategy, don’t pick the colour blue because that’s your kid’s favourite colour.

MAT

Remember what made you great in the first place.

Scaleups can often lose sight of what gave them their original success, hanging on to the essence of that but evolving that carefully is so important. 

SAM

Don’t lose your soul. 

Growth doesn’t mean becoming generic.

Your edge is what got you this far. Keep it.